Ways to Gain Perspective

Ways to Gain Perspective

Should I stay or should I go? Is she/he right for me? Why am I putting up with this type of behavior? Relationships are a great example of being stuck or indecisive about what is best for you. There are a few techniques you can use to help gain perspective when caught up in a difficult situation and having trouble sorting your way out of it.

When wrapped up in a stressful situation it can be difficult to think clearly or see the right way ahead. Often, when we think back to a time such as this, its easier to understand the greater lesson, but while you are in the midst of a storm, it can be much harder to gain perspective or make a decision.

The first method is to imagine you are in the audience of a theater, and you’re watching a movie or characters on stage acting out the situation you’re in. Then replace the characters with yourself and the other people involved but remain in the outside view, watching yourself in the position of an audience member. What would you want that character to do? How would you want the movie to progress? How does this situation look from that angle? What advice would you give them?

Another option is to imagine yourself in a hot air balloon, floating high up and down below you can see your situation and watch it play out exactly as how you want it to.

Doing this helps remove the emotional charge from the situation because you are taking yourself out of it. It also provides a different perspective from where to consider yourself. If you had total control in this moment, (hint: you do), how would you want everything to play out? How can you make that happen? What’s stopping you?

The best way to do these exercises are to sit in a meditative position for as little as 3 minutes daily, the best time is right before you get out of bed in the morning. Do this before you pick up your phone or get on your computer, the mind is more pure from sleep and not yet involved in the activity of the day. Creating this space allows you to see the outcomes more clearly. Once you have perspective, this meditation can help you make a decision.